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What You Need
- Counting / linking cubes (also called Unifix cubes)
- Sticky notes (Post-its)
- A marker
- A flat surface — floor or table both work
How to Set It Up
- Write simple addition problems on sticky notes: 2 + 3 = ?, 1 + 4 = ?, 3 + 3 = ? — start well within your child's ability so they feel confident.
- Lay several sticky notes on the table or floor like a "math station."
- Put a pile of counting cubes in reach.
- Show them once: snap together 2 cubes, then snap on 3 more, count the whole tower — that's the answer.
- Let them work through each sticky note independently. Write the answer on the note when they find it.
What Kids Are Learning
- Addition as a physical action — "adding" means putting more cubes on, which they can see and touch
- Number sense — understanding that 5 is five actual things, not just a symbol
- Counting on — starting at 2 and counting on 3 more (a key kindergarten skill)
- Reading number sentences — connecting the written equation to the physical action
Ways to Extend It
- Subtraction: Start with a tower of 7, break off 3 — how many left?
- Make it a race: Two kids, same problem, who builds it first?
- Color patterns: Alternate cube colors in the tower — another layer of math thinking
- Missing addend: 2 + ? = 5 — how many more cubes do I need?
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